Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	david_n	great_a	lord_n	2,198	5	3.5931	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93347	Gods unchangeableness: or Gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. From whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. Wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that Oliver Cromwell is by the providence of God, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom God hath set over them. Unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. Together with answers to some cheif objections made against the Lord Protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / Therefore written and published for publicke good, by George Smith, Gent.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4036; Thomason E824_4; ESTC R207687	84,417	65

warrantable in Scripture 2. That we must not be solicitous in the use of any means for things for which we have not a promise To use unlawful means for the obtaining of lawful things or to seek unlawfull things by any means are both equally evil As for instance Sarah did well to endeavour and expect the blessing to Jacob because she had a promise but Sarah did ill in using unlawfull means for a lawful thing Jeroboam had no promise of the Kingdom but he had a leading providence which was equivalent therefore he did not ill in using means to obtain it But it was his great sin in using unlawful means to establish himself in his Kingdom so Saul in the time of his distresse it was lawfull for him and duty to use means and endeavour to avoid the danger threatned but it was his sinne to use unlawful means to go to the Witch of Eudor * con●rary to this you see when good Hezechiah was in distresse he useth such means as is warrantable first he en●eavoureth to preserve himself and kingdom against a potent Enemy by agreement and pacification l what they could not do it though warrantable as appears of the saying of Christ m Then he flies to the rock of strength he opens the whole truth of his case unto God and trusts in him and was thereby delivered n We know David had an absolute promise of the Kingdom from God and found great opp●sition Saul persecuted him to the death yet David would not use ●n●awful means to obtain the promise nor to preserve himself he only useth such wa●rantable means as providence offered to him and trusts in God! It is true he eat of the Shew-bread which was belonging only to the Priests but this is justified by the Lord Christ in case of necessity o Mercy is to be preferred before Sacrifice so he fled to Achas king of Gath and he changed his b●haviaur and feigned himself mad p this in case of necessity to save life is not unlawfull he did not distemble with his tongue to say he was mad it may be lawful for a man to dissemble in his behaviour or discretion when it is unlawful to do it in words Nor did he do it as distrusting in God as is apparent Psa. 34. 6. he trusted in God and was delivered at that time when he changed his behaviour as is evident by the Title of that Psalm It is granted that in matters of Religion to change behaviour is sin as to bow to an Idol or to be hypocritical in shews of Religion a● it is to be feared very many are at this day and have been for honour or profit as Simon Magus did Nor did he dissemble his behaviour to the end he might murther as Cain did and as Joah did but David intended damage to none only his own safety We have a kinde of resemblance to this in the Lord Christ to try his Disciples Luk. 24. 28. The Text saith He made as if he would have gone farther And whereas it may be objected he lyed ●o Ach●sh when he said that he had been against the South of Judah and against the South of the Kenites q c. He did not lie unto him he spake doubtfully to the Question asked so as Achaz might take it in a double sense either that he had been against the people of the South of Judah and of the Kenites or against the people of the Philistims that dwelt in the adjacent Villages of the South of Judah and so indeed it was So that David lyed not nor used any unlawful means to obtain the promised Kingdom nay when opportunity was in his hand he would not hurt Saul though he then hunted after Davids life as after a Partridge on the mountains declaring his trust in God and innocency toward Saul When he had him at all advantage in the Cave and at another in his Trenches David would do no act to crosse Gods providence though animated to it by his chief Friends Contrary to Davids practice is the practice of men at this day who without any warrant from Gods Word contrary to humanity plot and contrive means to betray and subvert men and governments that are not su●able to their own desires and contrary to clear providence and that by abominable evil means And also in a sollicitous use of good means for the obtaining of things not promised nor any leading providence or probabilities to the things endeavoured for but will and fancy or the instigations of false deceiving spirits what else are the many and frequent fastings one contrary to another and appeals to God in things which tend to strife and debate and to set up the Kingdom of Christ by bloud who saith his Kingdom is not of this world or if it were he needs not the material sword to exalt him for all power is given unto him both in heaven and in earth r He is King for ever in a sp●r●tual sense but They that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword ſ He can presently have more then ten thousand Angels to cut down all his enemies at once if he please and when he please t And he no where in all the Scripture commandeth nor exciteth any of the Saints to carry on his cause in bloud nor to use endeavours by the sword to set up a fifth Monarchy neither to make war against Nations to destroy Kings as Kings the sword of Christ is the sword that goeth out of his mouth Rev. 19. 15. with this sword he will smite the Nations and by this sword were the rem●ant slain Rev. 19. 21. God refused to accept of Davids desire to build the material● Temple for Gods worship because he had been a man of war and had sh●d much bloud u And again 1 King 22. 8. Thou shalt not build a house to my Name because tho● hast shed much bloud upon the earth in my sight The Temple was a Figure of Christ and was for external worship If that which was but a Figure and materiall might not be built with bloudy hands then doubtlesse the thing typified which was the glory of Christ the spiritual Temple and spiritual worship of the New and Heavenly Jerusalem shall not be built by the sword of the Saints on earth a strange and unwarrantable opinion and a worse practice The holy Ghost is pleased to intimate to us that while the Temple was in building there was not heard neither Axe nor Hammer nor any too● of Iron all the time of the building w From whence I infer The holy and spirituall worship of Christ shall not be set up by any Instruments of war but as in the building of the Temple the stones were hewed and the materials made ready before they were brought to the building and were hewed by the men of Tyre and other Nations who did not belong to the services of that Temple So God will use the sword of

infinite in power and he is unchangeable in all his waies and works He is the King of Saints n He goes forth conquering and to conquer o all Kings and Nations that are his enemies and shall break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in peeces like a potters vessell p for he is also King of Nations q And for the seed of Jacobs sake he will break in peeces the Shepherd and his flock the Captain and the Rulers r Out of his mouth goeth a sharp Sword that with it he should smite the Nations ſ And he shall rule them with a rod of Iron for the Lord is high above Nations and his glory above the Heavens t To him the Nations are as the drop of a bucket and the small dust of the ballance All Nations are before him as nothing and are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity u He hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and measured the Heavens with a span comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scaics and the hils in ballances * Such is the greatnesse of Gods power The daies of men the years of families and the ages of Kingdoms are all by him numbred and determined the time of their beginning the time that they shall continue the times and means of their encrease and of their diminution and the instruments to accomplish all Gods will in every particular All is known and appointed by God * till which time they shall stand and longer they cannot stand their period is certain determinated by God who is unchangeable But unto men they are altogether unknown therefore uncertain Secret things belong unto God yet these secrets God will reveal to his Saints in the time appointed when the time of the accomplishment is come and not before as we shall shew afterward in the proper place You know that Gideon was a good man and God stirred him up to be a deliverer of his people from the bondage of the Midianites the people would have made him their King and his poster●ty to rule after him which he refused Yet Gideon that he might leave a memorial of his acts and name asked of the people their earrings and their chains of gold which they had taken as their prey from the conquered enemy One thousand seven hundred shekels of gold besides other ornaments c. which they willingly gave him of which he made an Ephod and put it in his City And all Israel went a whoring after it that is they superstitiously worshiped it which thing became a snare to Gideon and to his house y This was the means to bring a period to Gideons Family for as soon as Gideon was dead Abimelech the Son of Gideon which he had by his Concubine a Shechemite together with the men of Shechem conspired against the Sons of Gideon which were threescore and ten and slew them all save Jotham who escaped Thus God made Abimelech the instrument to punish the sin of Gideon and Abimelech was made King and reigned 3. years Here was ambition treachery and murther in Abimelech and in the men of Shechem this puts a period to the life of Abimelech to the people of Shechem and to Abimelechs Kingdom for the Text saith God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem z So that Abimelech is the instrument to destroy the men of Schechem that joyned with him in his conspiracy and murther of his Brethren and set him up over them And when he had done that providence makes a silly woman the Instrument to destroy Abimelech a So you know Ahab sinned he sold himself to do wickedly and God by the Prophet foretelleth the destruction of him of his Family and of his Kingdom b Providence brings Jehu to be the Instrument to accomplish this work Iehu did it to the full and with great zeal seeming to the Lord of Hosts but Iehu's heart was not upright before God c Therefore the Prophet Hosea from the mouth of God denounceth judgement against the House of Iehu for the bloud of Ahabs house d Iehu did all that God had threatned against Ahabs house and he did but what was the will of God should be done yet Iehu must be no lesse punished then he had punished Ahab Calvin gives a good reason of this It was not saith he for any act done ro Iezabel or upon the children of Ahab for in all that the Lord himself testifieth he did well e but because Iehu's heart was not upright to God in that that he did and because Iehu did not depart from the sins of Ahab f Iehu sinning like Ahab must be punished like Ahab and it was made good accordingly at the time appointed g The Apostle tels us that these things are written for our adusonition h c. This is an admonition to them of our time whom God hath made Instruments to punish the sins and oppressions of others that they take heed that they be not guilty of the sinnes and oppression that they have punished in others It were a happinesse to this Nation if some were not as faulty as those that they have punished It is good that sin be punished but it will prove very ill to the punishers that walk in the practise of the same sinnes It was well done of Henry the eight in putting down the Popes Supremacy and demolishing Monasteries Nunneries Priories c. Let his end be what it will or what it was or the cause of doing it but it was very ill in Henry the 8. that he continued in the practise of the same superstition and persecution of Gods people It was a good act to cut off Tyranny but it is extream evil that the same hands should act high oppression God will stir up other hands to cut off them and their Families he hath already shewed his anger and will perfect it to their ruine if their repentance prevent it not for God is unchangeable in all his judgements and his dealings with men wherein a man sinneth therein he shall be punished as it was with Adonibezek if men notwithstanding all warnings admonitions and examples will go on in sin it is a sign that their period is nigh Thus it was with the Sons of Ely they were wicked and they were oppressive they caused the Sacrifices of God to be abhorred i and they were admonished by good old Ely but they would not hearken to his voice to be reformed and why because saith the Text The Lord would slay them k and providence ordereth the Philistins to be instrumental to accomplish it This was also the occasion of casting off Flies Family for ever By this we see how providence orders things Actions and Instruments to overturn and cut off Men and Families yea whole Kingdoms as we see in the mighty of Chaldea at the period of time

the hand-writing upon the wall shewed Belshazzar that God had numbred his Kingdom and finished it l the set time was come and the same night was Belshazzar slain and the Monarchy transferred to the Medes and Persians when he little expected such a change as appeareth by his jol●ity feasting and drinking wine with a thousand of his Lords and causing the vessels of silver and gold to be brought to carouse in which his Father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple in Hierusalem God defers long but when he smites he doth it suddenly when men least look for it and that irresistibly Now as providence ordereth things Actions and Instruments to cut off and to destroy as it pleaseth him so providence ordereth things Actions and Instruments secondary causes to advance men families and kingdoms when he pleaseth Of which I shall offer two or three Instances We see when God for the bringing his own purpose to passe in accomplishment of his Decree and promise made to Abraham and would to that end advance Ioseph above his brethren that he might be the Instrument to preserve his Fathers house which was then the only visible Church on earth Providence orders every thing to concurre And herein observe these nine particular peeces of providence 1. Iacobs love to Ioseph procures his brethrens hatred m 2 His Brethrens hatred procure consultations and conspiracies against the life of Ioseph 3. Providence suffereth them not to agree in their counsels to kill him and so his life was preserved 4. They sell him to the Midianitish Merchants these Merchants carry him into Egypt and there they sell him to Potiphar a chief Officer to King Pharaoh where God blesseth Ioseph and prospered all that he put his hand unto n 5. Ioseph is cast into prison by the false accusation of Potiphars wife In the prison he findeth favour of the Keeper of the prison and is trusted by him o 6. Two of Pharaohs servants his chief Butler and his chief Baker are by Pharaoh cast into the same prison where Ioseph was p and are put under Iosephs charge 6. This Butler and this Baker dream each of them one dream in one and the same night Ioseph came to the knowledge of their dreams and shews them the interpretation of it 7. This occasioneth Iosephs skill and knowledge in the Interpretation of dreams to be known q 8. Pharaoh also dreameth a dream which none could interpret which occasioneth Ioseph to be sent for out of the prison who telleth unto Phara●h the Interpretation of his dream Upon which Ioseph is made Ruler over Pharaohs House and over the whole Kingdom next to Pharaoh himself r 9. God brings a famine on all the earth except in Egypt for there he had given plenty Therefore Iacob sends his Sons into Egypt to buy food ſ there they bow to Ioseph their brother and do homage to him as was foretold by his dream and for which they so much the more hated him t Thus you see how providence ordered every thing to concurre to effect Gods purpose And Ioseph himself ●els his brethren as much saying It was not you but God that sent me before to preserve you a postcrity on earth and to save your lives u c. a means to accomplish what was promised long before w The like instance we have in the advancement of H●ster and Mordecai Very observable in ten other particular peeces of providence 1. That at so great and publike Feast as the King Ahashuerus made to his princes and people it should come into the Kings minde to send for his Queen Vastai a thing unusuall at such meetings 2. That the Queen should give so peremptory a denial And that the King for that one offence should be so greatly incensed against his Queen whom he loved and in whose beauty he gloried as to call for advice to revenge himself upon her x 3. That the Princes Nobles and wise men should thereupon suddenly advise to put away Vastai from being Queen 4. That when the fairest of the Persian Virgins were to be called to the King to chuse him another Queen that Ester should be brought amongst them who was of a strange Countrey and a Captive without any friend or means in Court to preferre her nor was her kindred nor family known yet providence gives her favour in the eyes of Hegai the keeper of the women y and of all that looked on her and specially in the eyes of the King so as she was taken into the house Royall and afterward became Queen in Vastai's stead z 5. That Mord●cai a captive Jew should be in the hearing of the Treason plotted by two of the Kings Servants to take away the Kings life and that by his discovery the Treason was prevented a 6. That this discovery of Morde at should be recorded and Mordecai named for the discoverer 7. That Haman the Agagite having gotten an irrevocable decree to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews the whole Church of God b yet swelling in rage against Mordecai prepared a gallows of fifty cubits high to hang Mordecai thereon c 8. That the same night before the intended execution of Mordecai Sleep should go from the King which caused him to call for the Chronicles to be brought and read before him and that the act of Mordecais discovery and saving the Kings life should be then among thousand other things pitched ●pon and read to the King which then occasioned the King to think of giving honour to Mordecai which he never thought of before d 9. That at that very instant Haman should come to the King with intention to speak that Mordecai might be hanged on the Gallows prepared of which he was not only disappointed but to his shame and grief was made the instrument to honour Mord●cai and being taken in his own snare was himself hanged on the gallows he made to hang Mordecai e 10. That Esther by her Intercession to the King in the behalf of her self and her people obtained her request and they the people that were designed to death became the destroyers of their enemies so that the Church of God was not only preserved from the cruelty of their enemies but was greatly advanced to their great joy rejoycing and thanks-giving to the praise and glory of God All which is left to the memory of all ages upon sacred record Such is the power and wisedom of God so ordering every thing by his providence to his own glory and his peoples good Take into your consideration the many providences for preservation to David whom God purposed to advance to the ●hrone of Israel what straits and difficulties he was often brought into by by designs of secret enemies treacheries revolting of friends and the malice of Saul and his flatterers daily pursuing his life with a great and resolute army all made frustrate by providence that the Decree of God prophesied by

against it w and we have seen Gods provident care thereof that they that have been the heads of this assault have been broken in peeces and their ass●tiations the Word of God is as fire and it shall consume stubble All the enemies of truth shall be like straws though numerous which conspire against a burning coal and encompasse it by heaps to put it out that when they think they have done it and have eclipsed the light for a little while it shall kindle burn and consume them all these straws though mighty for a time shall come to nothing This is their time of attempts and this is the time that God will purge his Church This is the time of Reformation and of great judgements For whenever God hath been doing any great work tending to Reformation the devil and Satan that great old Enemy and subtle Serpent hath alwaies made the greatest opposition the greater the work is that God is doing the stronger the oppositions will be as we see in Rev. 12. 1 2 3 4. considered and compared That God is doing a great work in these daies is manifest clear as the light of the Sun But what God will do he only know To us it is unknown whether he will at this time give in to England the mercies promised or whether he will yet afflict us with more and greater Judgements we know not The former shall be made good assuredly to his Church the latter seems rather to be our present portion the effects of all the alterations and changes in our times is hid from our eyes only it is Gods good pleasure and he is doing a great work There are three things evils that have long threatned the great judgements and changes which we of England have lately felt and seen in this Nation 1. The encrease and growth of all kinde of sin especially corruption in Religion x and a general crying oppression these do still remain as high as ever 2. The appearance and encrease of secondary causes thereunto conducing principally Jealousies Divisions Emulations Hypocrisie Sedition and Treachery z These things are effects of Gods anger a and forerunners of great changes but these do encrease in England 3. The straits and necessities of the Church when good men especially holy godly Ministers are scorned contemned and misused b then God is exceeding angry and brings wrath without remedy For the Churches necessity is Gods opportunity to deliver his Church and to avenge himself of their enemies and that is alwaies by great changes God hath made change after change in England once twice thrice and again but the evils are not changed therefore more changes are threatned The Prophet denonncing Judgement against the King and Kingdome of Israel saith thus Thou profane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come when iniquity shall have an end thu● saith the Lord God Remove the Diadem and take off the Crown this shall not be the man Ex●lt him that is low and abase him that is high I will overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is and I will give it him c This Prophecy was concerning Zedekiah and Israels carrying captive into Babylon and the government of Christ to whom all Kingdoms and Nations are given and are his right whom he is pleased to set up as vicegerent under him to rule in righteousnesse and judgement shall be established God will abase him that is highest and exalt him that is low and will overturn and overturn again and again until he come for his right it is to whom Jesus Christ shall give it So it is evident that all turnings overturnings and changes that have been in this Nation or whatsoever shall be are not by accident nor by the subtle contrivement of counsel or men but as all is ordered by Providence to effect Gods will for man is not able of himself to bring any enterprise to passe he is not able saith Doctor Preston to see all the wheels that tend to make up an enterprise nor if he were able to see them all he is not able to turn them nor to fit every one so together as to make up an enterprise God by providence after several changes and several attempts of new enterprises which the attempters though skilful to deceive and powerful to compell could not enterprise hath given us a Supream Magistrate to judge the people of these Nations And by providence hath intitled him OLIVER Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and of the Dominions thereunto belonging This is the man whom God by his secret providence hath made the instrument of our deliverance from the designs of an Anti-christian brood and from the powers of Royall and Hierarchical enemies and rescued our Laws and Religion out of usurpers hands therein comparable to Gideon It is true he accepted of what Gideon refused d but he coveted not what Gideon asked e nor indented beforehand as Iephthah did f He might have sate in Parliament at ease and with profit as others did but providence ordered him to another work And he freely and voluntarily exposed himself to all hardships to endure the parching Sun by day and the nipping frost by night as a zealous Patriot of his Nation his sleep departed from his eyes His bed the open field and the Heavens his Curtains He was not backward to jeopard his life in the high places of the field for the safety of his Countrey not shifting to secure himself in the greatest danger nor declined any Engagement with the Enemy let the disadvantages be what they could 〈◊〉 three four or five to one of the Enemies party yet not once that I can remember was he put to the worst or caused to fly from or turn his back from the Enemy from the beginning of the war to the end thereof He is of an ancient Family He hath been well educated in Learning and in Religion except only some youthful tricks hath been a professor of holinesse and practiser of justice the man of the Saints praiers whom God prospered and made successeful in all his undertakings and providence hath kept in all dangers ordering all along by gradations to what he now is as is observed in our third Inference Why God hath done all this we cannot give any reason but that it is his secret will to effect his own purpose But whether it shall be at this time as an income of mercies or encrease of afflictions I leave to the all-knowing God who will manifest his pleasure in his own time It may be a mercy from God and so I esteem of it but we may by our divisions turn it to a judgement as indeed our seditious practises do threaten Sure I am whatever may be that since providence laid this burthen upon him he hath managed it with much wisedom and justice the fruits whereof we have had some taste To the honour of God I